Washing machine



Sept. 2. 1.924.

W. V. ORR

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 10 1918 a l y 3 Sheets-Shut W. V. ORR

WASHING MACHIN! Sept. 2 1924.

Filed June 10 .91B 3 Shuts-Shut 2 w a a w a z 0 T. fl wfi a n w w a w a;a le w I T 5% 0% Z 4% Q 0 Sept. 2. 1924. 1,507,416

W. V. ORR

WASHING MACHINE Filed June 10 1918 3 Shuts-Shoat 5 Patented Sept. 2,1924.

WILLIAM v. one, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed June 10, 1918.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM V. ORR, a citizenof the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the count of Cuyahogaand State of ()hio, have invented certain new and useful Improvement inWashing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to washing machines and especially to machinesadapted for the cleansing of clothing and fabrics either in commercialestablishments or for domestic use. The objects of the invention are theprovision of simple, strong and reli' able devices for moving thewashing mechanism a predetermined number of revolutions, first in onedirection and then in the other; the provision of new and simplifiedmeans for starting and stopping the mecha nism; the provision of new andimproved means for connecting the washin mechanism and wringerselectively to the rive shaft; while further objects and advantages.iwill become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application Ihave illustrated one embodiment of my invention although it will beunderstood that these drawings are illustrative only and do not limit mymachine to the constructions disclosed since numerous modifications maybe made within the scope of my invention.

In these drawings Fig. 1 represents an end elevation of a domestic typeof washing machine having my improvements applied thereto, a portion ofthe casing being broken to show one type of washing mechanism; Fig.2 isa detail section taken on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents aside elevation of the gear box shown in Fig. 1, the cover being removedand the mechanism being. in washing position; Fig. l is a view similarto Fig. 3 showing the washing mechanism disconnected; Fig. 5 representsa horizontal sectional View through the driving mechanism correspondingto line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the brokenline 6-6 of Fig. 5, and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. "7is a perspec tive view of part of the timing mechanism taken from theinside; and Fig. 8 is a detail view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 4.

Describing the parts by reference characters, 1 represents the casing orcontainer of the washing machine; 2, 2 the legs of the Serial No.239,107.

chines, both the rotating drum type and the dolly type, it is found thatif the washing part be rotated continually in one direction the clothingor fabrics become snarled up so as greatly to impede the washing andcause great inconvenience in wringing. It is further found that if themechanism be oscillated first in one direction and then in the other,this balling and snarling is'avoided, although if oscillation takesplace only through an angle less than one revolution, only incompletewashing is effected. Accordingly the best washing effect is producedwhen the washing mechanism is operated in one direction for a smallnumber of complete rotations, say sin to ten, and then automaticallyreversed to perform similar number of turns in the opposite direction;and my invention relates particularly to new, simplified and reliablestructure for producing a motion of this type. The particular washingmechanism employed is not important nor "s the position of the axis ofrotation as regards the horizontal. Thus the washing mechanism might beeither a dolly rotating around vertical axis, a drum rotating about ahorizontal axis, or any other suitable or desired type.

The washing mechanism in the present instance consists of a horizontaldrum 4 detachably connected by the squared socket 5 to the horizontalshaft 6 journaled in a bushing T rigidly attached to the case 1.Journaled in an upright position outside of the casing is a drive shaft88 suitably geared to the motor 3 as by means of a worm drive 9. Theshafts 6 and 8 are thus arranged perpendicularly to each other andtraverse the opposite ends of the gear box 10 carried by the casing 1,said box having a removable cover 11 closing its outer face. The shaft 8is'shown as journaled in bearings l212 inthe side of this box, and alsoas extending through a suitable bearing 13 carried by the casing for thepurpose of driving the wringer lt, to which it is geared in any suitablemanner, the operation of such wringer being controlled by means of ashifting lever 15. While I have not shown the gearing operated by thislever, it will be understood that the same is so arranged as to enablethe shaft to be connected to or disconnected from the wringer at will.

Sleeved upon the exterior of the bushing 7 is a beveled ear whose hub 21is formed at its forwar end with a reduced cylindrical portion 22defining an abrupt shoulderv 23. This portion 22 thus constitutes acollar which is pinned or keyed to the shaft 6 in driving relation.Meshing with the gear 20 is a beveled pinion 25 carried by acounter-shaft 26 journaled in a bearing 27 and extending to a pointadjacent to the shaft 8, where it carries the miter gear 30, whichmeshes with the two opposed miter gears 31 and 32, loosely sleeved uponthe shaft 8 on opposite sides of the gear 30. Slidably mounted uponshaft 8 between the gears 31 and 32 is a clutch spool 33 splined toshaft 8 so as to rotate therewith and having clutch teeth 34 and 35 uponits opposite sides arranged to engage with the teeth 36-37 carried bythe faces of gears 31 and 32 respectively. The exterior of "the spool 33is formed with the groove 10, receiving the shifting yoke 41 carried bythe slide bar 42, whereby the spool can be slid into engagement witheither gear so as to determine the direction of rotation of the shaft26.

Rotatably mounted upon the exterior of the reduced neck 22 are aplurality of flatsteel collars 15, each shownasprovided at one pointwith a projecting finger &6. Secured to each finger is a laterallyprojecting pin 47 adapted to engage the similar pin of the adjacentcollar. The outermost collar 48 is formed with a radial arm 49 having atits end the elongated slot 50; This arm is also shown as provided with alateral pin 51 adapted to be engaged by the finger of the collaradjacent thereto, while the hub 21 is shown as provided with a pin 52adapted to engage the finger of the last collar. All of the collars areheld in place upon the neck 22 by means of the ring 53. I

Pivoted inside the gear box, as at 55, is

a lever 56, having at one point a pin 57 engaging in the slot 50 andhaving at its other end the transverse slot 58 loosely receiv- 'ing thepin 59 carried by the yoke 4C1. The

arm 49 is turned in the direction of the shaft 8, so that the pin 57lies between the shaft 6 and the pivot 55. The arm 56 is extended pastthe shaft 6 where it is articulated as shown at 60 to thespring-pressed, expansible, telescoping member 61, whose opposite end isarticulated as shown at 62 to a suitable support in alignment with thetion.

shaft 6 and pivot 55. Mounted on the same pivot 55 is a second lever 65having at one end a longitudinal slot snugly receiving in a lateraldirection the pin 59 and having at its opposite end a laterallyprojecting pin 66. Pivoted to the wall of the gear box near the pin 66is a plate 67 movable by means of a handle 68 and having a flaring slot69 adapted to receive the pin 66.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: Starting with the partsin the position as shown in Fig. 3, the rotation of shaft 8 istransmitted through clutch spool 33 and gear 32 to gears 30, 25 and 20,thereby rotating the shaft 6 in a clockwise direc The collar a8, beingheld against ro tation by means of the arm 19, the continuance of thisrotation during 'a number of revolutions equal to the number of collars15 causes all of the fingers 46 to come into contact with each other andwith the pins 51 and 52, whereupon the continued rotation of wheel 20,swings the arm a9 downwardly carrying with it the arm 56. Owing to thelost-motion produced by the slot 58, the first part of the movement ofthe lever is effected without disengaging the clutch spool 33 and with astorage of energy'in the member 61, but as soon as the dead center hasbeen passed the member 61 operates to throw the lever 56 abruptly to theopposite limit of its travel as shown in Fig. 6, (wherein the dottedlines show the position of parts corresponding to Fig. 3). This actionserves to throw the clutch spool 33 out of engagement with the gear 32and into engagement with the gear 31, whereupon the rotation of gears30, 25 and'20 is reversed, and such re versed movement proceeds to thesame num ber of complete revolutions, whereupon the. parts resume theposition shown in Fig. 3.

The clutch teeth 34, 35, 36, and 37 are preferably sufliciently narrowso as to leave con siderable play between the parts, and besides are soarranged relatively to each other that under no possibility can there beany failure of meshing. The number of revolutions of the container 4 orother washing device, be-

moved to position intermediate: the gears 31 and 32 and out ofengagement with both,

this being effected by movin' the handle 68 into engaging position,wiereupon the flaring sides of notch 69engage the pin 66, whatever itsposition may be and draw it forcibly to central position. Owing to thelost motion produced by slot 58, the lever 56 is not broughtsimultaneously to central position, but only part way as shown in Fig.4, so that, upon releasing the plate 67 member 61 reasserts itself bythrowing the clutch spool back into engagement with the gear from whichit was last disengaged. During the neutral position of lever 68 it Willbe clear that the shaft 8 continues to rotate unless the motor 3 beintentionally disconnected, thus permitting the operation of thewringer.

It will be understood that numerous changes can be made within the scopeof my invention, some of which have been pointed out, and others ofwhich will readily occur to those skilled in the art; wherefore I do notlimit myself to the constructions and arrangements herein illustratedand described except as may have been specifically recited in the claimshereto annexed or rendered necessary by the prior state of the art. Oneof the gears or is preferably secured to the shaft 26 in such a manneras to permit a considerable amount of lost motion. I have shown gear 525as loosely sleeved on the shaft and driven by the tooth 43 of itssecuring collar which engages the projection M on the gear. This permitsthe heavy drum to come to rest of its own accord and without imposingupon the motor the task of instantaneous reversal.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In mechanism of the character de scribed, in combination anoscillating part, a countershaft geared thereto, a driving shaft, a pairof opposed bevel gears loosely sleeved on said driving shaft, a gear onsaid counter shaft meshing with said first gears, a clutch member slidable on said driving shaft, and adapted to engage said first gearsselectively, a lever having one end operatively attached to said clutchmember, and a plurality of rings journaled upon the axis of saidoscillating part, each ring having a projection adapted to engage aprojection of the adjacent ring, and the projections of the terminalrings being ar ranged, one to engage a projection on said oscillatingpart and the other to engage the opposite end of said lever.

2. In mechanism of the character described, in combination, a drivingshaft, a countershaft, and an oscillating shaft connected to saidcountershaft, means for gearing said countershaft to said driving shafteither in direct or reverse driving relation,

means for gearing said counter shaft to said oscillating shaft, aplurality of rotatable members journaled upon said oscillating shaftadjacent to each other and each having a finger adapted to engage theadjacent member in driving relation, means movable with said oscillatingshaft adapted to drive the first of said members, and means operated bythe last of said members for reversing the direction of rotation of saidgearing whenever movement is transmitted thereto.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM V. ORR.

